Contract Marriage: Bound To A Notorious Tycoon

be the queen," Vicki said with a mock

a said with a polite nod, not bothering to e

no effort to lower her voice. "Good ridd

hair and rose to his fe

him before he could leave. "You're not

politeness remained, leaving an uncomf

gain. "Then why not just send her away? What was t

rned to Jason. "Maybe you could buy he

ve his life to save Jason's. We can't repay that sacrifice by appearing cold or ungrate

htening. In her opinion, Kristina's beauty made her the perfect candidate fo

ention to Jason. "W

thy of her, but hearing her future discussed like a b

himself that if the man was truly a good cho

.

eing decided, Kristina stood by her wind

her and push her higher while Nancy relaxed nearby with a cup

cy would gently dab the sweat off her forehead while Jason l

of being cast away, felt like they belonged to someone else's

at the door yanked

f together and sw

n. "Kristina, we kept everything from your old ro

se years ago, she only had time to st

the Olivers, but her parents' belong

ally being genuine ri

ing's got a layer of dust on it. Nancy asked me to go through it all, so I did. Anything worth something, I flipped on a

d was filthy a

n, would have exploded on the spot. But she wasn't that girl anymor

in. Her brow creased, and something

a glass trophy off the shelf

a trophy from a parent-child activity in the kindergarten, with

had given Ellie a precise ma

om and crouched do

traight through the middle of the photo. It split her imag

gh? Maybe it's for the best. Your parents are gone. Keeping their phot

-rimmed and burning, and fixed Ellie

of nowhere, a sick grin twisted across Ellie's fac

down the hall told Kristina everythi

" she said, her vo

face. "You brought this on yourself. Did you

r hair, forcefully pulled her downward, and drove her head into the floor wi

Kristina to be this reckless. The footsteps were right o

raised one finger and p

the shelf, its tiny red

's face. Her hands balled into

nt Jason stepped

, composed and upright, and Ellie crumpled on the f

. He just charged forward and s

better from you," he said, hi

m change quietly, yet here she was, g

the lower back, and the pain hit so hard

every muscle in his bo

moothed her face into something soft and sympathetic. "Uncle Jason, it's

utting. He scoffed, "Don't defend her, Ellie.

ristina. But what happened seven years ago

have been able to get past. But drugging and slee

tina and him out of the hotel room in time, some politi

aken down not just him, but every

ching back and dropped her gaze, her

person am I exactly?" She let her eyes drift,

her jaw tight and forced the words out. "Uncle Jaso

in Kristina's hands. "And that?

hoto. Something clenched inside him. He found he couldn't quite meet

y. "I'm sorry, Kristina. Tell me w

the sleeve of her shirt, a faint smile tugging

said without a